1. a person who kills someone, especially a public figure, for political or ideological reasons
Usage: formal; less common than ‘assassin’

Examples

• The security team worked to identify the potential assassinator.
• Historical records describe the assassinator as a lone gunman.
• The trial of the political leader’s assassinator lasted several months.
• Intelligence agencies tracked the movements of the suspected assassinator.
• The assassinator was captured shortly after the attack.
• Witnesses provided descriptions of the assassinator to police.